


To Build A Home

by The_Hero_Drinks_Tea



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-26
Updated: 2016-11-27
Packaged: 2018-08-17 09:13:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8138669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Hero_Drinks_Tea/pseuds/The_Hero_Drinks_Tea
Summary: The world ended the day Alfred and Arthur had their first kiss, romantic right? Nope, it was in the school gym during the Winter Dance, punch bowl, tacky pop music, cheap snowflakes and all. Hetalia was a private school, as well as a summer camp, only for the worlds luckiest, and lucky in deed that when the world went to hell, the school was able to provide a heaven for it's inhabitants. The only rule was to never speak about the truth, the truth that everything was gone, and the uncertainty of other survivors after the nuclear war.Feliciano was always a happy boy, smiling in the face of everything and seeing the good in everyone. Even when bombs went off around the world, Feliciano still smiled, having the strength of his brother to support him. Now, what happens when his support is gone, when everything has crumbled, and Feli is trapped on the outside of a wall, separated his friends and family and is forced to survive with strangers? No matter how optimistic you are, some things are truly horrifying, and no matter how many times you build new houses, will you ever truthfully find a home?





	1. Potatoes

Eight months ago

"Mmm," Arthur moaned. "This is amazing."

Alfred smirked, "I know, yours always tasted the best."

"What, Have you done this before with other people?" Arthur asked, his simper fading.

"Nah, you know I'd only ever do this for you." He winked shoving more in.

Arthur flung his mash potatoes at Alfred. "Liar! I saw you gag!"

Alfred laughed, some of the potatoes falling from his mouth. Arthur swatted his arm and laughed as well, leaning against the trunk of the oak tree. The light rays from between the leaves shone on him , capturing his smile. Alfred swore he could hear his heart hammering away as he looked at the small Brit.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Oh nothing, I was just thinking how much your cooking sucks, and how much better the camp's terrible food is." Alfred teases.

"Oi! Shut up!" he chided and threw a snickers wrapper at me. It was one of the last bars at camp, and stealing such small things could have severe punishments, but Alfred didn't care. He knew Arthur had a sweet tooth and was willing to do anything to make him smile in this hell.

"Make me." Alfred mocked, closing the distance between them. Arthur stole a quick kiss, his lips tasting like the long forgotten taste of chocolate. Yep, that shut Alfred up alright.

Arthur got up and ran, stealing the bowl of mashed potatoes as well as Alfred's heart.

Alfred ran after him, "Get back here, I'm not done with you yet!" He laughed and tackled the Brit tickling him into submission and placing a small kiss on his forehead. For the time being everything was perfect, and hell was heaven simply because everyone refused to accept what happened two years ago when the world exploded in a fiery rage, leaving only a few small pieces of land and a boarding school for the truly brilliant.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Present time.

"Shut up! I hate you Alfred Jones!"

"Oh, so now I'm the bad guy huh? You almost married me! Kiss my ass Kirkland!"

"I did that last night didn't I? You just love begging, don't you? Just like you begged the damn commie to fight you, and look where we are now!"

"Ugh, I'm so sick of you always bitching and complaining! Just shut up already, go lie on your back or something and let me do my job as an eagle!"

Arthur narrowed his eyes as Feliciano held in a gasp. Things were going horrible for the small group of eight. Ivan sat in the corner with his knife, whittling at the tree as if he was trying to cut the tension. Ludwig went out gathering wood with Francis, Matthew and Kiku, not wanting to get involved, leaving the poor Italian alone with the fighting couple, or, former couple.

Alfred was hot, he was hungry, he was sweating like a bitch and scared beyond his mind. But so was everyone else. Feli knew he had to do something before things really got out of hand.

"You're such an arrogant ass! God! What did I do to piss the big man off and get stuck with you?!" Arthur screamed, throwing a small rock at Alfred to prove his point.

"This is your fault too, sweet-cheeks! No wonder your brother didn't come with us, I doubt he'd ever want to see you again! No one wants a salty ass french fry when they're dying of thirst!"

Alfred's eyes widened as he realized what he had said.

"Arthur I didn't mean--"

"No! I don't want to hear it! You don't care, so don't act like it! Berate me all you want, but you have your brother! I will never, ever see Peter again, and it's all your damn fault! My poor baby brother is now alone and scared, and you couldn't give two fucks!!!!"

The clearing opened as the others came back, silent, which was unnatural for most of them. They could probably hear the screaming the whole time.

"Arthur I'm sorry--" Alfred reached out to touch Arthur's arm.

"Get your hands off me, yank." Arthur turned away. "If you don't need me then fine, I'll just go on ahead by myself."

Alfred sneered. "You wouldn't last a day without m--"

A loud slap echoed throughout the surrounding jungle as Arthur stormed off, leaving Alfred and his sore cheek.

Arthur marched off into the forest, his bow swaying against his back.

Alfred laughed and looked at Feliciano. "He'll be back."

Suddenly a loud zip was heard as an arrow went flying straight for Alfred, landing in the tree besides him. He gasped as it grazed his ear, not enough to draw blood, but enough to scare the living hell out of Alfred.

Alfred picked the arrow from the trunk of the tree and looked at the shaft, a message engraved there from when they all lived happily inside the walls.

'To hell with you.'

Alfred smiled to himself, it was a fitting message despite the fact the Brit probably just picked a random arrow and was still pissed at Alfred. The group turned to the woods, looking for the small Englishmen, but found nothing.

Alfred was now in charge of six other people, their lives depending on whether he could be a leader and somehow find a way back into the camp. A summer camp that never sent it's campers home.


	2. When Pasta Was An Everyday Meal

Chapter two

 

Arthur was beyond pissed. He sure as hell couldn't put up with Mr. Golden Boy Jones and the others. Arthur was 100% capable of defending himself and he was aiming to prove it. He had his arrows, his first aid kit, and his brain. With that in mind Arthur headed to the thick tree tops of the south African jungles. Arthur figured he would live like an ewok upon the treetops until things were sorted out. Arthur smiled to himself, remembering the tree-houses he had built as a child in England before he went and got dragged into the hell of school. Arthur was the chosen prodigy of the UK, and he was going to damn well prove it! It will be fine, of course it will! Arthur wasn't lonely and scared and heartbroken...

No, he gave Alfred a chance time and time again. The world just hated them, seeing as every time they tried to be together something went wrong, and life threw a wrench in their plans. Arthur reached to touch the necklace around his neck. It was just leather cord with a singular silver ring on it. It was his wedding ring once upon a time, but now it was just a painful reminder. Alfred worked for days to get enough pensions to by the metal to make the rings, and even more work to get the small green diamond, to match Alfred's blue, engraved in the silver band.

It didn't matter now, what was said and done is in the past, right now all Arthur had to focus on was his survival.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Feliciano was scared. His fratello was somewhere at camp and Feli was trapped on the outside of the wall with strangers. The only person he knew here was Francis, because he was also in the Wolf Cabin. Ivan and Alfred were fighting violently as Francis and Yao threw sticks at them, betting on who would win. Kiku was sitting by the firepit, leaning against the cream colored wall that separated Feli from his friends and his brother. The wall itself was a good twenty feet, towering above the teens. Feliciano watched as Ivan threw a stone at Alfred. This was too much. No one would survive if we all killed each other.

"Guys, stop it please! I'm hungry and soon we'll all be starving! We can't be divided, we won't make it! Let's make pasta, not war!" The Italian chided, trying to get the other's attention. Kiku looked up from his corner and nodded.

"Feliciano is right. Guys. Yao-" Kiku started, and gave up seeing as Francis and Yao themselves started fighting over bets and money owed. But who gave crap about money when you were trapped outside a wall, vulnerable to...well anything.

In Feliciano's experience from horror films, the end of the world always had zombies, some creature or something evil that the survivors feared. In the movies, the heroes knew what they were up against, they knew the odds, and at the end of the day humanity always survived. But out here, in the wilderness, no one knew what to expect. Would there be cannibalistic humans or carious dinosaurs with robot arms? Radiation killed, it poisoned, it blackened and destroyed, but it also mutated. No one could be sure what to expect, and no one could be prepared. Somehow that was more terrifying than zombies would have been. At least Feli would know what to do.

Ludwig got up from the campfire and stood tall. "Alfred! Ivan!"

Surprisingly, both boys turned, fists seconds from each other.

"What the hell do you want sausage breath?!" Alfred barked, stepping away from the tall Russian.

"The Italian is correct. We should be making food, not gutting each other! I'm hungry, but not for a human corpse. You two!" Ludwig pointed to Yao and Francis. "You're both in Wolf, correct?"

"Shi!" "Oui." Answered the two in question.

"Right, you work together and build a shelter. We'll stay here by the wall in case patrols come by and see us once they notice we're missing. Feliciano and Kiku, work on food."

The four boys nodded and began working in their respective jobs.

"What about me?" Alfred asked, leaning against a tree impatiently. Ivan rolled his eyes.

"I would send you off with Ivan, but as right now, I don't trust either of you. The three of us will gather supplies in the woods, and more importantly, things to make weapons out of. I don't know what's out there, but if a rabid bear comes out of nowhere, I'd like to live. Questions?"

Ivan shook his head and tugged at the scarf he was wearing. Alfred kicked the dirt at his feet and looked away from Ludwig and into the treeline. "What about Artie?"

"Who?" Ivan asked. "The British kid with big eyebrows?"

"No,I'm talking about the monkey that I saw earlier. No shit Sherlock! Of course it's the British kid, the one that stormed off because of--" Alfred faltered.

Ludwig raised his eyebrows, knowing the hidden undertone in his comrade's voice. Because of me.

"Well, we'll look for him in the woods while we gather supplies. Now, let's get going!"

Alfred and Ivan sighed and followed Ludwig into the woods that awaited them.

~~~~~~~~~~

Eight months ago... 

Feliciano skipped happily as he carried a fresh plate of spaghetti into his cabin, his roommates lighting up and jumping out of their beds.

"Feli brought food! Feli brought food guys!" Katyusha smiled and took the bowl from his arms.

Feliciano beamed as Francis got off of his bed and started handing out plates.

Lovino shook his head. "Again Fratello? You know the pasta is to be preserved for special occasions like birthdays and dances and shit. We already had our daily ration."

"Don't call it that, please." Feliciano whispered as he sat down on his bunk.

Yao rolled his eyes. "Why do we even bother? Everything is dead outside, why deny it?"

Roderich gasped. "Stop it! You're both breaking rules! Feli shouldn't be stealing anyway. It's wrong, even if it's for all of us."

"Don't call it stealing!" Feliciano yelled. "I just wanted to feel normal, like the times when pasta was an everyday meal.

Lovino sighed and hugged his brother. "I know." He whispered. "I miss those days too, but Roderich and Yao are right. We can't just eat whatever we want anymore, even if we are the food and shelter cabin."

Francis laughed. "Cheers to that mon ami. Anyway let's stop arguing concerning the food and dig in!"

Heracles, Im Yong Soo and Kiku all smiled and grabbed a plate, as laughter filled the air. Warmth radiated from the cabin as the windows fogged up, the december snow. Outside candles were lit as other campers threw snowballs and lovers courted each other. It was almost magical, and for once since the end had come, Feliciano truly felt like he had a home again.

But that home was shattered. That family was gone. And this time Feliciano wasn't sure if he'd ever eat pasta again, or if he would ever find happiness in this world of darkness that seemed to snuff out every form of light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAHAHAHA I UPDATED


	3. Twisted, Beautiful Things.

Francis wanted the shelter to be stylish. If everyone was going to spend weeks in this stupid camp, it was going to be fabulous. Not because Francis was stuck up, or because he was arrogant. He would gladly spend days outside enjoying the beauty of nature, but if the camp looked fancy it would create an illusion that everyone was safe. An illusion that they were not in harms way and everything was fine. But no, Yao had to be practical and completely dissolve Francis's idea to have more than one big room in the shelter.

See if it weren't for Alfred and Ivan fighting, He wouldn't be stuck here. Now there were two options that Alfred was able to give, stay here and wait for patrols to check the borders, and that would take months, or venture around the wall to the grand gate and hope that it still opens. It was really either a matter of waiting for death to come to you, or you to death. Francis wasn't keen on death but if he was going to go, it would be in style.

Finally, after a long debate, Yao had agreed to a Tee-pee like shelter backed against the wall where everyone would sleep. If the group decided to stay here they would construct a larger and sturdier shelter with insulation, but for now this would do. There would be a smaller hut for food on the side and another about forty feet away to be used for a restroom. In the center of the camp would be a firepit where Feliciano, Kiku, Yao and himself would be able to cook, taking turns of course. At camp the wolf cabin was always in charge of meals during both the summer and school year. Everyone had a part to play in survival, no matter how it was disguised.

Eleven cabins. One for each factor of survival should the camp borders ever fall. Four Elite cabins for the best of the best with certain skill sets and seven other cabins for less important people. Not say they weren't important, every life mattered to Francis, but usually those cabins consisted of younger kids with little to none survival training or experience with things outside of what got them accepted into Hetalia World Academy of the Arts. Of those four elite cabins where Wolf, of food and shelter, Bear, of hand-to-hand combat skills, Robin, of long range weaponry and shouting, and lasty the Eagle Cabin. No one but Mr. Vargas and Mr. Beilschmidt knew what that cabin was intended for, or how it's campers got sorted there. Out of the 198 people that attended, after the war only five campers were ever sorted into Eagle. It used to be three, but a few months ago two new kids were put there for training.

Ah, Hetalia World Academy of the Arts. A special school designed to shape future world leaders in hope of one day achieving world peace. A school that trained children in politics and put them in high positions so that when they actually would be able to run for president, prime minister, etcetera, and they would have the ideals already set. One kid from each country was selected by the people to attend the Academy for the school year. Sometimes two were selected under special circumstances A brainwashing and manipulative strategy that just might work.

Well at least when the bombs went off it was a pretty color of blues greys and reds. Francis could appreciate that at least. It may have been the last thing people ever saw, and it was honestly beautiful. Most things that were the most twisted were often the things that held the most beauty.

*********

Alfred knew it was his fault, still the fact Arthur hadn't come back was unnerving. Yes, Alfred was mad, and yes he wanted a little space, but it had almost been a full day and everyone knew that the night made everything more dangerous. Rule one of any apocalypse was not to go out on your own, even if you had a weapon. Number two was never go off at night. Arthur had done both and that worried Alfred. He was supposed to be back by now.

The blonde sat down on one of the logs surrounding the fire as Feliciano and Kiku served roasted nuts. Had Alfred not been in a sour mood, he would have joked about serving roasted nuts to a crowd of boys. Now all he did was eat in silence. His eyes scanned the horizon as Francis and Yao tied some branches together to form the fine details of the hut. It looked nearly complete, the branches woven together like a tapestry as it tied together at the top. It almost looked like the Emperor's Palace Alfred once saw in Chinatown, New York where he used to live. Alfred wondered if he would ever eat un-proper chinese food again. The smell of the -not- Chinese fried rice were one of his favorite scents aside from the smell of dark chocolate, green bean casserole and fresh apple pies. Question. If Yao cooked something for Alfred was that considered chinese food? Ha, that was a bad joke. The blue eyed teen was glad he didn't ask that outloud. He could've been karate kicked.

The group gathered by the fire in awkward silence. Francis grinned. 'So I guess this is this is the part where we share secrets, no?"

Kiku nodded. "Sounds like the apportate thing to do. If we are to trust each other with our lives, we might as well get to know each other."

"Let's play a game!" Ivan beamed.

"I love games!" Feliciano bounced in his seat. "What kind of game do you want to play? Marco-polo? Spin the bottle? Never have I ever? Seven minutes of heaven? Oh, truth or dare right?"

"No, a game of truth. One person in the circle asks a question and each person including themselves has to answer. I start. Now, what is your favorite color and why? Mine is yellow like sunflowers. See? Simple. Now each person has to answer."

Yao cleared his throat. "Shouldn't we start with names?"

"Ve, that's a good idea. Let's do that. I'm Feliciano Vargas and my favorite color is white because it symbolizes peace!"

Kiku nodded. "My name is Honda Kiku, or Kiku Honda in english. My favorite color is purple like the night sky and mountain ranges."

All eyes fell on Francis. Of course, Francis loved that. The young American snickered.

"Moi name is Francis Bonnefoy, and of course my favorite color is le rainbow."

"That's not a color!" Ludwig snapped.

"How do you expect me to pick just one?! All colors are just as beautiful as the last and even more next to others."

Ivan frowned. "Then pick a scenery?"

Francis seemed to consider that. "Fine, I choose the color of sunrises."

No one wanted to argue.

"Ludwig it's your turn I believe." Feliciano dimpled.

Ludwig's expression remained stern. "My name is Ludwig Beilschmidt. I don't see why this matters to our survival but my favorite color is black. My brother had this bird once. He named it after himself," Ludwig scoffed. "It was a small yellow bird. I always looked up to him, even if I never told him so. Anyway I wanted to be like him so I went to catch my own bird. I climbed up a tree and tried to grab the bird. The poor thing was too young to fly and fell out of the tree, breaking its wing. My brother heard me crying and came running outside. I thought I had killed the poor creature, but Gilbert hugged me and picked up the bird. He bandaged the wing and helped me take care of it. I realized then that my brother would always be there for me, no matter what, even if it was for a stupid eagle. Well that and that I was a dog person. Later on that night he read my stories of his ancestors, the Prussians, and read me fairy tales. You know, I never told him I loved him. Not once."

Silence filled the air as Alfred fiddled with the hem of his jacket. Feliciano's was looking directly at Ludwig as if deciding whether or not to hug him or cry for him.

"I'm much more of a dog person anyway." Ludwig concluded. "Who's next?"

Yao sighed. "I guess it's my turn. My name is Yao Wang and my favorite color is red because red a lucky color, and I sure wish I was wearing red right now because if I was I wouldn't be near you losers. You all need professional mental care. Lucky for you I know a guy in camp that has a medicine for that. " He huffed and crossed his arms. "Alfred is the only one here who hasn't spoken. Your turn."

The teen felt all eyes land on him. "I'm Alfred F. Jones and my favorite color is..." Alfred gulped as he quickly searched for an answer. Then just like that, his memories guided him.

_Alfred soared above the clouds as he watched the wheat fields beneath him fade away. The wind whipped his hair into a permanent cowlick as he rode his grandfather's plane through the sky. Alfred always wanted to be a pilot, a hero, but the US Airforce wouldn't let him fly with his eyesight. The sky, oh the brilliant sky, he could do anything up here. He could be anyone._

"Blue, my favorite color is blue."


	4. Fairytales

Arthur sat in his treetop home, swinging his legs and humming as he sharpened his arrows. He had managed to make a treehouse on top of a large tree. Arthur was still shivering from seeing those things last night. Those horrid creatures, the ones that were neither human nor undead. Their arms were contorted and twisted at impossible angles, there faces melting as if a fire was light under their chins, metal laced up their bodies infused with wires were bone should be. They were nightmares.

Arthur shot as many of them as he could from above. It's a good thing they couldn't climb, oh but the spiders could. Radioactive spiders that glowed with a hellish light, the smallest the size of Arthur's hand, the biggest the size laundry basket. He was pretty sure that if these things bit him that he would not get spider powers.The snakes, oh the snakes. The little devils were fast, and strangely had eyes that hummed with intelligence. The slithered in the dark, waiting, watching, whispering.

Arthur could swear he was going to lose his sanity soon. Why, oh why did he have leave the group? Now he was alone. He felt himself going insane as he whispered a song Alfred used to sing him as he rocked Arthur asleep in their small home they had built in the northern woods.

Even though 'the end' was a forbidden subject, it was secretly drilled into the academy's students that we were probably the last of humanity and much emphasis was put on making small villages disguised as projects for workshop and such. The school year was even cut short. Winter was for education, Summer was for camp and skill building, fall and spring where work months, meant to build villages and get ready to rebuild society. It was scary to think that in a few years women would be expected to have kids, and even scarier that these kids would never know the wonders of computers, phones, and fanfiction.

But back to the man eating spiders, snakes, and people.

As Arthur hummed, he felt something shake above him. Carrots fell from the branches one by one hitting Arthur on the arms, the legs. The boy looked up to see where they were dropping from, making a mistake that can never be undone. A single carrot fell, faithfully hitting Arthur in the eye. As the carrot stabbed his eyelid Arthur let out a blood curdling scream. Pain seared through his eye as he felt energy from the carrot pierce his beloved green emeralds. The leaves rustled as a large flying animal fell from the tree.

"AHHHH!" Arthur screamed grabbing his bow, clutching his eyes.

The green rabbit flew around his head in a panic.

"AHHHHH. What are we screaming about again?"

"What the bloody hell are you?" Arthur screeched, his eyebrows lifting.

The creature blinked. "I am your worst nightmare." It's eyes were souless.

Arthur gulped, blinking his eyes rapidly subsiding the pain.

"What do you want?"

"I dunno. I'm bored and hungry."

"Are you going to eat me?"

"No, I only eat carrots, and you are not a carrots. Your eyebrows are about the same size, but I will not eat your eyebrows. They are not carrots."

I blinked. Did I just get roasted by a flying, mint colored rabbit?

"Thank you?..."

"No problem." The bunny squeaked. "But you know what I love more than carrots?"

Arthur hummed in response.

A rustle sounded from behind him. The moment he turned around he was met face to face with a jungle snake, coiled up and ready to strike. As Arthur blinked the blasted thing sprang from its spot on the tree and in seconds it's neck was snapped and hanging in Mint Bunny's mouth.

Arthur watched in both horror and awe as the rabbit devoured the snake.

"Snakes taste like apples and spiders taste like pumpkins." He commented.

The brit's throat felt dry as he stared at the rabbit. "I have an idea."

If Mint bunny ate Arthur's enemies, Arthur would be able to sleep at night without fear of creepy crawlies.

"We can benefit each other. You should stay and live with me, in a symbiotic relationship as Alfred would say. He always did love science. I couldn't understand half of what he said in biology class."

"You have a funny way of asking people to be your friend."

"Like you have any! I thought you were alone."

"I am alone, eyebrows. My friends are invisible."

Arthur smiled. "Oh, that old gambit?"

Mint Bunny coughed and Arthur felt something tug his ear. Mint Bunny hissed as a small pixie flew by.

"Is that a pixie?!"  
"Yes, I hate them. Their pretty sprite-ful if you ask me."

Arthur let out one of the first laughs he had had in awhile. .

And for once, Arthur felt like he was going to be just fine without Alfred.

As the creatures gathered around Arthur, he began to sing a soft tune.

"Let me tell you a story guys."

***********

Alfred paced around the camp banging a pot to wake the others.

"Rise and shine!"

The others groaned.

"The human body can only last a few hours without water before feeling fragile and weak and only three days before you die! Now let's go find some water!" He pumped his oh so American fist in the air.

Surprisingly that was very motivational. The group walked along the trees cutting down vines to form a trail. A waterfall came into view pooling into a small lake roughly the size of a neighborhood park. Now Alfred could mark something on his checklist. Shetler, water, now all that was left was food. Kiku reached down to drink some of the water.

"Wait!" Alfred snapped, startling Kiku. "Don't drink the water yet! Ugh without being heated lake water is full of bacteria, organisms and decaying dead particles of flesh, bone and blood from dead fish and such! You could get diseases and poisoning from that! Are you crazy dude?"

"Or you know, it could be radioactive." Ludwig mumbled.

"That too."

Kiku looked around. "What will we heat the water up with?"

"I always have pot." Yao smirked, wiping out the bad boy that Alfred had used to wake everyone with.

Ivan, hearing Yao's grammatical error, grabbed his metal pipe that he had been using as a weapon against evil trees.

"I always carry a pipe for the pot."

Alfred almost laughed at that, almost.

"I'll start the fire bc I'm the hero and we can make the best fires!"

The group sat around the fire and waited until the water was drinkable, giving Feli the first drink. He noted it was good. Soon everyone had their share of water was looking at the lake.

Bath time.

Alfred grabbed a rock and a handful of dirt after he stripped down. Now Alfred, didn't want to strip down, it wasn't a modesty thing, he didn't want to leave his clothes alone and vulnerable. In his pockets lay a chocolate bar and a can of Spom*. The Spom* was a snack Alfred had planned to eat that one fateful day, the chocolate a lost artie-fact meant to be a gift. Alfred was going to save that bar for the moment Arthur came back to him. The American teen looked at the waterfall, stepping in with his clothes in sight.

As a child Alfred had the habit of taking a bath and then taking shower afterwards. That was until his mother chewed his ass out about the water bill. Ever since then Alfred never took a bath again, and today was no exception. The longest Alfred had ever taken a shower was five minutes, and the same rule applied as he rubbed the dirt on his skin now, rubbing it off with the fist sized stone like a loffa. I put my clothes on quickly and looked to see how the others were doing.

Ludwig, Feliciano and Kiku took their sweet time bathing and relaxing in the pools. Ivan and Yao stood alone in the waterfall while Francis sat alone in a corner.

"Hey bro, what's up?"

"Not my mood." He sighed.

I looked at the branch in his hand as he tried to comb his hair.

"Hey I know what can cheer you up!"

He raised an eyebrow as I sat crossed legged on the edge of the lake.

"Let me tell you a story."

"Years ago when I was younger, I kind of liked a girl I knew. She was mine and we were sweethearts, that was then but then it's true. I'm in love with a fairytale even though it hurts, cause I don't care if I lose my mind, I'm already cursed."

A while away Arthur patted his friends on the head as he sang.

"Every day we started fighting, every night we fell in love. He smiled remembering Alfred's tender touch and forehead kisses as his friends chimed in. "No one else could make me sadder, but no one else could lift me high above."

"I don't know what I was doing--"

 

"When suddenly we fell apart~"

"Now a-days I cannot find her." Alfred looked out at the horizon as Feli curiously inched closer to listen. "But when I do we'll get a brand new start!"

"I'm in love with a fairytale, even though it hurts. I don't care if I lose my mind I'm already cursed~"

"And I care if I lose my mind, I'm already cursed."

The group stared at Alfred as he finished singing. Alfred hid his face in his hands as Francis patted him on the back.

"We'll find Arthur. It's cute how your soul weeps for him so much that it sings of his absence and longing for his love like a curse."

"It was just a song dude. It wasn't about anyone."

Francis finished combing his hair. "You're only fooling yourself if you think your over Arthur. You still keep your chocolate in your pocket and your ring on your thing." He gestured to his finger.

Alfred quickly put the ring in his pocket. "How do you know about--"

"I know everything that goes on behind my back Alfred. We should find food, no?"

Alfred agreed slowly and gathered the others, making a mental note that Francis had eyes on the back of his head.

But even Francis failed to see the eyes watching them from above, hungry and waiting for a taste of human flesh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Right so as of right now I do not plan to publish new chapters of this until I get settled into my new home. Of course, comments help get new chapters out sooner. This is so I know what you guys want in a sense that more people are actually waiting to read this. In any case this will be updated fairly soon.


	5. Another Way Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HELLO DEAR READERS!! I finally made move to Texas, and although I'm not moved in just yet, I'm in a pretty good spot! So here you go!

Feliciano stared at Kiku as he tried to shove a walnut up a vine. The others had left a while ago in search of food, leaving Feli, Ludwig and himself at the camp to 'watch the supplies' as Alfred put it, but even Feliciano knew he meant 'Watch for Arthur to come back'. 

 

Kiku honestly didn't know why he was shoving a walnut up the vine, he just had to do it. He seriously was so bored of  sitting here as Feliciano asked Ludwig questions. Feliciano looked up at Ludwig with a small smile.

 

"So you have a fratello too? I have one, his name is-a Romano-Lovino but we just call him Lovi because he a-lovi tomatoes. My brother is older than me and grumpy a lot. What's your older brother like?"

 

Kiku watched as Ludwig furrowed his eyebrows like he was tempted to say no and turn away, but he also saw a light in his eyes. Ludwig explained what his brother was like, and soon Kiku ending up telling the boys on how Yao was a distant cousin and used to be like an older brother to him. 

 

"Really?" Feliciano asked. "It's almost a-like everybody is related somehow!"  
Ludwig nodded. "It's a political thing. Most people picked to go here are related so that when get into office we'll be less likely to start wars where people we know and love are. It'll make dating more interesting though, or it would have."

 

Kiku nodded and looked at the distant treeline where the others would soon emerge. 

 

But back to the walnut.

 

Kiku was so bored that he thought if he shoved a walnut up the vine, the water that would come out would taste nutty. It was stupid idea he had to admit, but he had plenty of nuts in his pocket. Not a lot, but enough to snack on while he waited. And waited. As he wished, the group was in sight and bad shape. Ivan was bloody and clinging to Alfred as Yao trailed behind supporting Francis. 

 

They had been attacked.

 

~~

 

Alfred dragged his feet behind him as he searched the trees in front of him. Strangely, there were no animals thus far, not even bugs. It was unnerving. The trees stretched for what seemed liked miles. Yao led the way, Francis picked flowers that were probably poisonous while Ivan cut down leaves behind Alfred, making a trail of everywhere they went.

 

The forest was thick and wet, a jungle of trees and vines. Alfred felt like he was suffocating in the tight space. This was the opposite of the open blue skies, the ground was pulling him down, the vines were wrapping around him and the air was so toxic-- Suddenly Alfred couldn't breathe. What if he was trapped here, there was nowhere to run, to go, if they were attacked they couldn't escape. Alfred felt his heart speed up, his hands clamming, the space between the vines closing---

 

"Alfred...? Are you okay?" Francis glanced behind him.   
Everyone was staring at Alfred, even Ivan was now in front of him. Alfred bit his lip and nodded. He couldn't let the others see their leader having a panic attack.

 

"I just thought we were going the wrong way guys! I mean my hero senses were tingling and telling me to head um..." Alfred glanced around. "Um this way, towards that open field! We could grow shit there! And um it's by that nice calming river..."

 

Yao narrowed his eyes but stepped aside. "Lead the way then."   
Alfred happily skipped along towards the open skies and golden fields tripping over his feet in the process. He smiled and shrugged it off, almost sprinting out of the jungle, not daring to look back at the vines.

 

~~~~

 

Yao loved mangoes. Surprisingly he did, there was even a point in life were mangoes would be the only thing he ate. Even though that only lasted three days, it's the thought that counted. It had been years since Yao had a mango, but now as he looked up at the trees around the river he saw tons upon tons of them and even more. 

 

The grove held kiwi plants, kumquat and mangoes. Many varieties of asian fruits valleyed the forest of trees by the river. Food source? Check. It was almost impossible that all this fruit was here. Kumquat did not grow in South America, no matter if dragon fruit could.

 

Any the less the group was more than happy to stumble on the fruit and gorged it down greedily. Even Francis was eating like a pig. Alfred was monkeying around, climbing the trees. It was weird, in fact he must have been right above Yao. The leaves moved above his head in a careful manner. Ugh, he was so childish. Yao reached out to grab a mango from a nearby branch, and that's when Alfred emerged from behind a bush. 

 

"Dude you will not believe what I found!"  
Wait, if Alfred was here then what was above...

 

Yao put a finger over his mouth and looked up slowly to be met with a dozen monkey's with glowing eyes, foaming at their snarling mouths. Alfred looked up slowly and froze in place, the others glancing over and freezing in horror as well. Ivan grabbed his metal pipe and took a stand. Alfred followed suit, grabbing the wooden knife from his back pocket.

 

Francis, of course, thought it would be a good idea to feed the monkeys. "Here mon ami, there are enough mangoes here to share..."  
Neither of the monkeys took the fruit, so Francis, frustrated, threw the mangoe at one of the chimps.   
And the monkey's didn't like that.

 

And they sprung from the tree like a snapping guitar string, latching onto Francis and Ivan first.

 

Alfred grabbed a large stick from the floor and readied to fight, swinging at the rabid radioactive monkies one by one, feeling his arm stretch with each strike.

 

Ivan fared in no better shape as he hit the monkies with his pipe, more efficient than a stick, but did little against so many predators at once.

 

Yao actually held his own with martial arts and a frying pan, who knew?

 

Francis on the other hand was getting mobbed by the apes, screaming as his hair was being pulled from its rightful place on the French man's head.

 

Alfred's hero instinct crackled like lightning in the sky, his reflects moving to protect his friend. Francis grabbed a nearby rock and began to pounce on the apes by Alfred's side until the sound of a whistle rang loudly throughout the woods, freezing the monkies in place and sending them back into the groove.

 

Alfred instinct ly looked for Arthur to make sure he was okay, and faltured upon realizing he wasn't there, sending Alfred into a short panic before remembering his ex-fiancè was no longer with them.

 

So Alfred turned around to check on the rest of the group, and nearly shit his pants at the sound of Francis's scream when his eyes laid upon Ivan's ragged and bloodied frame.

 

"Yao!! Help me get these two back to camp!!" Alfred barked and picked up the Russian. 

 

Ivan looked dazed, as if he was going in and out of consincness. He blinked at the sunny blond in front of him, Alfred's eyes filled with determination and confidence. 

 

Ivan felt a fluttering feeling in his stomach as he looked at the blond carrying him to safety. He never did notice how strong Alfred was, or how blue his eyes were.

 

"Thank you, Comrade." Ivan sputtered out as Alfred placed him on the ground by...was that a fire? 

Ivan felt blond and deaf as he heard Felicano gasp and Ludwig bark orders. The last thing Ivan saw before he passed out was Yao's face hovering over his as the world faded into oblivion.

 

\-----------------------


End file.
